I didn’t get to our match yesterday but was able to listen in on the commentary from Armagh TV. I think it would be fair to say that our victory was rather fortuitous, although hugely important. Longford led for most of the way, in the main thanks to our awful shooting, and when we did manage to pull level eventually, we conceded a goal from a penalty. Longford added another point to go four clear and all looked up. However thanks in the main to a brilliant Ethan Rafferty goal, we were able to get level and score a scarcely deserved winner in the fifth minute of injury time.

Longford no doubt will point to the sending off of one of their players at the start of the second half which left Armagh with a spare man, whilst there may be questions over our goal due to a possible foul on a defender and steps taken. However Armagh spurned a hatful of decent scoring opportunities that might have seen the game safe long before the end.

The loss was hard luck on Longford and I know there were a few from Armagh who thought they were a decent enough side who might yet make a push for promotion.However we have enough hard luck stories of our own to worry too much about a lucky victory.

In the other game played, Westmeath beat Wexford in Wexford Park. By the sounds of things, Wexford look nailed on for a return to Division 4, whilst Westmeath’s game against Longford may be important in terms of promotion.

The conclusion of Round 3’s fixtures last weekend, and Round 4 over the weekend just passed, leave things interesting with three games to go. Armagh and Fermanagh lead the way on 8 points, next come Westmeath and Longford on 6 points, Derry and Sligo on 2 points and Wexford and Offaly still to get off the mark.

On paper, Fermanagh have the most difficult run in, with their remaining three games against the others in the top four - Armagh, Longford and Westmeath. Indeed Fermanagh, Longford and Westmeath still have to play each other, so at the moment Armagh are well placed.

However two of Armagh’s last three games are Ulster derbies - home to Derry and away to Fermanagh - and Armagh are not convincing me with their performances to date, so there’s still a lot to play for.

At this moment in time, it is difficult to see anything but Wexford and Offaly going down to Division 4.

Thanks Al. Made hard work of beating a poor enough Derry game, but we were the better team on the night.

We are now in pole position, with our rivals all to play each other in the last three games. Our last two games are away - next week to Fermanagh, which is of course a big one, and on the last day away to Wexford who appear to be struggling and are al ost certain to go back down to Divsion 4 after today’s home loss to Offaly.

Interesting set of results today. Westmeath came from behind to beat fourteen man Fermanagh by two points in Mullingar. In the other game, Sligo drew with Longford - a result that will go a long way to securing Sligo’s survival and at the same time puts a major dent in Longford’s promotion hopes.
The table tonight currently reads;

Our match next week in Enniskillen is huge, as is the Longford v Westmeath game in Longford. We are strongly placed to go up, but any self respecting Armagh fan will have too many mental scars from the proverbial defeats snatched from the jaws of victory, down through the years, to be anything but cautious.

Armagh got the draw needed - 0-7 each - to guarantee promotion back to Division 2. Thank God for that! It was a match I was worried about, particularly as we have a long injury list and the depth of the squad would not fill me with confidence. Didn’t get to it myself, so beyond our comeback, I’ll be interested to hear how it went.

Longford beat Westmeath in the second match in the top half of the table, which means that realistically either Longford or Fermanagh will be going up with us. That match is in Longford and is winner takes all, with Longford only needing the draw.

I predicted after we beat Longford at home that the likelihood would be both going up with Longford beating Armagh in the league final, as I believe we got out of jail against them.

Derry beat Wexford, which leaves them well placed to avoid relegation, with the losers of Sligo or Offaly - which was postponed today due to the weather - looking likely to go down with Wexford.

Thanks my friend. Three of last four years spent in Division 3, so we really need to get up a division to be playing a better standard of football more regularly. That should help bring our younger players on.

And a game in Croke Park on 31st March will be something to look forward to, @Rufus_T_Firefly?

Absolutely beeko. Promotion achieved so there’ll be an element of enjoying the day out. Incidentally, I hope it’s in Croker as I thought I heard someone suggest it might be moved. Not sure what the score is there.